NewsOctober 28 , 2018
Six more new trains to be run in first 100 days of govt: minister
LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has said the upgrade of railway network is the real spirit of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) while the previous government prioritised road network under the CPEC.
Addressing a press conference at the Railways Headquarters here on Saturday, Sheikh Rasheed said railway is the backbone of the country’s economy. He promised to make Pakistan Railways a profitable institution with annual profit of Rs 10 billion.The federal minister said China is a time-tested friend of Pakistan. He has great hopes from China for railway upgrade under the CPEC. Shaikh Rashid also asked the administration of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) and others to vacate Pakistan Railways’ land. He also said the trains would only run on the tracks where freight and passengers were available. He said so far six new trains were started and added six more new trains would be started within the first 100 days of the incumbent government.
He said the Pakistan Railways’ freight profit was Rs 1.2 billion in the first 60 days of the new government which is a great achievement made possible with the collective efforts of the officers and labourers of the department.
He asked the retired employees of the department still serving on different posts to go home voluntarily and leave the slots for the youth till November 10, 2018.
He said billions were spent on rehabilitation of the railway stations in the past, saying Rs400 million to Rs500 million were spent just on one railway station in the constituency of former Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. He said Sindh remained ignored in terms of railway in the past and added the new Mohenjo Daro Express in Sindh was well received by the locals.
On the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, a local train service to facilitate the low-income people and labourers of Karachi would soon be inaugurated by the president of Pakistan. He also said Wi-Fi facility has been provided at all the railway stations of regional headquarters. He also said CCTV cameras would be installed at godowns of Pakistan Railways.
To a question about Gwadar as a the new division of Pakistan Railways, he said railways has bought several acres of land in Balochistan and could talk to the chief minister of Balochistan for more free-of-cost land under the government-to-government agreement.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk
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